Vehicle leveling and stabilizing devices of the type that are attached to the underside of a vehicle for use when the vehicle is at rest are generally well known. These devices include a horizontal cross member for attachment to the underside of a vehicle with a support leg pivotally connected to the cross member. When deployed to support or partially support the weight of a vehicle, a screw jack assembly including a support strut and screw member extends between the support leg and the cross member to brace the support leg away from the cross member to support the vehicle weight. The screw jack assembly is operated to extend/retract the support leg and associated strut relative to the undercarriage of the vehicle to which the apparatus is connected. Recreational vehicles such as trailers and motor homes commonly include one or more of these devices for stabilizing the vehicle when it is at rest. The leveling and stabilizing apparatus is deployed to support or partially support the vehicle weight such that the movement of the vehicle over its resilient suspension in response to the movement of the occupants within the vehicle, for example, is minimized when the vehicle is at rest. Furthermore these devices are utilized to level the vehicle relative to the surface of a parking lot or camp site to improve the comfort of the occupants.
While known leveling and stabilizing devices are generally effective, there has been found a need to provide an integrated vehicle leveling and stabilizing apparatus that may be extended to an operative position and retracted to a storage position with a minimum of operator time and effort without sacrificing strength and durability. Known devices require the operator thereof to slowly extend and retract the support legs of the stabilizing devices with time consuming operation of the screw jack assembly. Another known device includes a support strut and screw jack assembly that must be separated from the stabilizing device when the device is not in use resulting in inconvenience and the potential for misplaced screw jack components. There has also been found a need to provide a leveling and stabilizing apparatus which has superior strength and durability over known devices.
Known leveling and stabilizing devices as described above also lack an effective mechanism for easily and accurately mounting the devices to the underside of a vehicle. Thus, there has also been found a need to provide a vehicle leveling and stabilizing apparatus that is adjustable to fit on vehicles having different widths. Likewise, there has also been found a need to provide a vehicle leveling and stabilizing apparatus, the lateral position of which relative to the underside of the vehicle may be adjusted to compensate for vehicle manufacturing intolerances.